summer

American Flag Decor Inspiration

| The Bee Life

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!

In order to kick off the holiday weekend and the unofficial kickoff to summer, decorating with the American Flag is a great way to be festive from Memorial Day, to the 4th of July to Labor Day!  You can leave it up, and your set for the summer so you can travel, entertain, enjoy the warm weather and socialize with friends.  Here is some inspiration for an easy and classic way to feel festive all summer long;

I love decorating with an American Flag, the colors are bright and timeless. Get your house prepped with a statement piece inside or decorate and show off outside, or better yet, both!

Enjoy!

Sources: Top Right | Bottom Left | Bottom Right

Latest Obsessions 05.17

| The Bee Life

Here’s what I’ve been completely obsessing over lately, spoiler alert, the theme of everything may or may not be summer. Yes, I am jonesing for warm weather and the perfect entertaining pieces from kitchen to patio.
Latest Obessions 05.17 - the bee life
Sources: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 

Lemon Patterned Everything.  From kitchen towels, to serving trays, to wrapping paper, a lemon pattern is bright and cheery, timeless and refreshing.  Kate Spade is currently feeding this obsession and has a lot of perfect lemon patterned pieces for entertaining, and the better part is you can go all out lemons or just buy a few key pieces to play off neutrals.

Patio Furniture. Spoiler, our latest home project is a back patio at our house.  Since we will have true, dedicated space for a patio and dining area, we now need to find the perfect mix that’ll be able to entertain a decent number of friends for impromptu family occasions or neighbor hangs.  I keep going back between more of a outdoor sectional vs. the traditional conversation set with a love seat and chairs.

Outdoor Entertaining. Staying on theme, I’ve been a bit obsessed with finding cute plasticware for outdoor parties and entertaining. In addition to that, upgrading and finding some cute plastic plates and finding a nice outdoor tray has been on my to-do list as well. Home Good’s is definitely going to be my go-to for this, I’m just waiting to pull the trigger.

What have you been obsessing about lately? Are you completely ready for summer mode too?

Fitness Friday no. 20

| The Bee Life

TGIF!

With the “final” days of summer coming to a close, we need to soak up as much fresh air and beautiful weather as possible.  One way to do this is putting a twist on the normal workout routine, you’ll be able to be in the gym for the next 5-6 months. Here are some final ways to spread out into your weekends and enjoy that summer sun and have a few last adventures under our belts.
fitness-friday-no-20-the-bee-life

Kayaking
Don’t have a kayak of your own? Look around for local parks and services that allow hourly rental, hit up the water on an early morning and get a nice arm workout in.

Walking The Dog
Getting out with your pooch as much as possible before the cold snowy days comes is key. Not only are you helping your pup but you’re helping yourself.  If you can pick a spot to take your dog, you can kill two birds with one stone – this past weekend B and I went to Whole Foods with Moz, a little bit of a farther walk for us but we got to sit out and enjoy some breakfast as a rest.

Biking
Biking to a store or restaurants can be a great way over the weekend to get active while you’re checking things off on your to-do list.  Don’t want to deal with the traffic find some trails in local parks to get a more scenic view.

Urban Walking 
We live close to the city, but a smaller city in comparison to NYC or Chicago.  So on the weekends, especially in the mornings it’s quiet and perfect. So getting some extra adventures in and a change of scenery, the urban kind, by exploring new parts of the city can be another way to enjoy the weather, your city and get some extra steps.

Golfing
Without the cart.  Get your steps in and work on that swing all at once, this is a great way to relax enjoy the weather and also get an unconventional workout in, carrying a set of clubs for 18-holes or even 9 will definitely get you tired out.

Corn Hole Tourney
This may not be the most active way, but it’ll get you outside, working your arm muscles and socializing with friends.  Set-up an impromptu corn hole tourney with friends on a sunny afternoon, losers take a lap or have to do a set of push-ups, maybe even put some money on it to make it more competitive!

How are you enjoying the outdoors and getting exercise in too?

Weekend Recap – Family Fun

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Whenever my weekends are especially fun, it always makes Monday’s that much harder but it’s the good weekends that also help plow through the work week!

This weekend was certainly a busy one and non-stop.  My parents arrived in town Friday afternoon and we had plans for “happy hour” at my aunts before we went to Twilight at the Zoo.  Well “happy hour” lasted a bit longer than expected and between the good company and the heat, we never made it to the zoo! Whoops. Instead we went to a late dinner at a local wine bar and got some yummy pizza (yes, cheat day!)

Saturday we woke up, enjoyed some fresh coffee and then started the day with an appointment at a potential wedding venue. It was an awesome venue, but not sure if it’s the one. From there we ran a few errands and then picked up the pups to hit the road to my aunt and uncle’s house.  We went boating with them and my cousin Hailee for most of the afternoon.  It was a perfect day to be out on the water and work on the tan.  We used to go out on their boat almost every summer with the rest of the extended family but haven’t done that in yearrssss. So it was fun to be back out on the lake, go tubing and enjoy some beverages and laughs with the family.  It was especially nice to spend some more time with Hailee, as I get older, I try not to take for granted the time I get with my cousins we all used to see each other so much and now it’s rare treats!

We all took turns tubing. I always forget how intense it is, it’s always a little scary yet thrilling thing to do, I definitely scream a lot and laugh (my voice was a bit scratchy the rest of the night!) haha, my Uncle Ron does a good job at stirring and getting some waves.  B and I went out twice and survived the first but I fell off the second time.  My dad and B also hit some good waves and got some air, so much that the tube was flipped upside down!  We were definitely all sore the next day. #GettingOld But, in between tubing we did relax and enjoy the lake, sunshine and company.

Eventually we headed back to my aunt and uncle’s house for a cookout, to eat the yummiest marinated chicken breasts, corn on the cob and fruit salad. It was perfection. We ended with some apple crisp pie before hitting the road back home. It was a long day! We definitely all slept good.

Sunday we went to church and the brunch (at our favorite spot; Jammy Buggars) we then headed to the house and squeezed a few small home projects in, so my dad could help us out with!  It was another beautiful day, finally cool (and by cool: low-80’s) so we enjoyed a little puppy play date with our neighbors and got a few other things done around the house.  Another great weekend in the books and another week of life to live.

Here’s to a successful week!

Latest Obsessions: August Edition

| The Bee Life

Starting out on the first Friday of August, here’s what I am obsessed with lately!  Even though it seems like summer is coming to an end, it still feels like we are just getting started and have a lot more hot days and weekends to enjoy! So I hope you enjoy and share in some of these latest obsessions.

Kate Spade: Outdoor & Home
I first saw some of these gems at a Hallmark on steroids on our Denver trip.  It was the Hallmark location in Cherry Creek. And it was amazing! I also thought the plastic cups with fun lemon patterns, polka dots and other bright patterned pieces were perfect, especially for summer. I don’t know if I would actually spend the money on these, but I feel like everyone needs a good set of entertaining plastics ‘glasses’ or wine glasses.  And everything else is just too cute and perfect to keep summer lasting!

latest obsessions - the bee life
01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05

Our Engagement Pictures
We have been getting teased with small batches of our engagement pictures since we first had them done in mid-June.  It’s been a little torturous waiting to see what the rest look like after getting teased with the first 5 and then a week later 5 more… but they have definitely been worth the wait! I received the latest batch of the most current and I honestly can’t stop staring at them. I’m a hypocrite for mocking every other bride-to-be who posted a million engagement pictures one right after the other on social… so I am definitely pacing myself from blasting them all! So you all get the first peak of the next batch. *smiles*

Photo credit: timothylogan.com 

Silver Picture Frames
Sooo… Marshall’s has been killing it with elegant, classic silver frames lately.  I first bought a few for my mom and FMIL to give them a picture of when B and I got engaged, but now that we have these awesome engagement photos coming in I need more! The pictures just pop in the frames whether its a color or  black & white photo. I was half tempted to buy all new frames for our living room, but quickly realized that was a bit ridiculous … but maybe it’ll still happen.

What’ve you been obsessing over lately? Leave a comment below & let me know!

TGIF!

Weekend Highlight: Kayaking

| The Bee Life

It has been toasty toasty this past week, but I know we haven’t been the only ones roasting.  Our humidity was nearly 80% on Friday. Gross! Not to mention, we don’t have AC … *smiles* … so it’s been even more unbearable, we broke down and bought a window AC unit for our bedroom, so we at least can sleep at night, after sweating all day! So a little mission this weekend was to ‘beat the heat’ whether it was going out to eat at a restaurant to cool down or hanging out at our neighbors to soak up some cool air!

Saturday morning we headed to the Metroparks with some friends and rented kayaks!! Living close to a large lake, I often take for granted the amenities or extracurricular activities that’re available to us within minutes from our house. So I was happy when some friends recommended we go kayaking.

It got off to a little rough start, with the oh so friendly woman at the kayak rental.  We luckily were able to rent kayaks for 1-hour, after she scolded us to make reservations and how you have to make reservations, especially on the weekend, oh and if we were even 5-minutes late coming back we would be significantly up-charged and it would throw off the rest of the day because they were so booked. She was so nice.IMG_4555So after we got through that, we were able to jump in two tandem kayaks and head out on the river with sights of the lake! It was relaxing after B and I got into our grove and  were able to enjoy the scenic views along the river of the private yacht club and large beautiful homes flanking the river. We were able to make it out to the lake with plenty of time, after the fear of god was instilled in us to not be a single minute late back to the rental area. So it was just enough time to paddle around the lake, enjoy the view and then head back down the river. IMG_4537FullSizeRender

The water and breeze from the lake was refreshing, while still being able to soak up some of the hot summer sun! After we dried off a bit, we headed for some bottomless mimosas and brunch at a nearby spot – yum!

Safe to say, B and I will definitely be doing this again before the summers end! We might just try out another rental spot and will definitely make reservations ahead of time, regardless of where we go! *winks*

Christmas in July Party

| The Bee Life

Confession! I love Christmas!! And what better than to have an excuse to pull out some decorations, drink some Christmas Ale and have a bunch of your friends over, than Christmas in July!  This upcoming Monday is officially 6-months until Christmas, so next week and weekend are an excuse to throw a party. If you haven’t made this a tradition yet, I highly recommend it, regardless of how all out you go!

Here is your go-to guide for everything you’ll need to throw an epic Christmas in July party this year!

Food/Snacks:  The best part about all of these ideas is that they’re easy, a little healthy and super cute! You can also do a cheese spread in the shape of a tree or a wreath. Also bust out those Christmas cookie receipts and make some good ol’ cut outs or peanut butter cup cookies, they’ll be a hit.

http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2013/11/grinch-party.html
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/christmas-tree-vegetable-platter/652abef8-2f37-4200-8dc6-c38a4350ba96?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=09_2015_standard&crlt.pid=camp.oSrDgIEfBM88
http://fantabulosity.com/christmas-play-date/

Drinks: Our local breweries always release some of their Christmas Ale’s around this time, so it’s definitely a treat and fun to snag a glass or 6-pack. Add a cinnamon sugar rim to your glasses for an extra treat for you and your guests! Next up, red and green jello shots – yup! It’s a must, not to mention easy and refreshing, and perfect for your Christmas in July festivities. I like to serve with pop-rocks poured on top, so yummy.  Last but not least, find a punch that is both refreshing and light but still hits those Christmas sentiments you love – like this Cranberry Orange Punch, make in bulk and you’re ready for a fun night.

http://www.thegunnysack.com/cranberry-orange-holiday-punch/

Decor: Have some old Christmas wrapping paper that you’re sick of seeing every year? Wrap some empty boxes as accents around your space.  Pull out some colored lights and string them up in the back yard, garage, or shrubbery.  No need to go crazy here, any other lawn ornaments that’re sitting around put them on prime display!

Dress Code: Asking that your guests dress in red and green or even throwing on an ugly Christmas sweater helps make this party an event.  If it’s mostly couples you can request that each couple comes as a “Christmas Couple” an excuse to get creative!

Details: This is when Pandora really comes in handy, click on your favorite holiday tunes station (mine is, Mariah Carey Christmas) and the mood will truly be set! You can also play a favorite Christmas movie on repeat, either in the house or out in the garage – Elf and Home Alone never get old.  Finally, napkins, plates, and cups that are red and green help add to the theme without breaking the bank – check the Dollar Tree!

Remember all of these things will really bring your Christmas in July theme to life while being able to enjoy a cold Christmas Ale on a hot summer day and all your nearest and dearest by starting a new tradition!

Happy Christmas in July!!

Flirtini – The Recipe

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To help get ready for the weekend, I’ve got another summery, fresh drink to share with all of you – so add this one to your roster of must-have’s.  Although, I can’t take the credit for this one either, Katie introduced this one to me over our girl’s weekend, it’s called the Flirtini. (Make sure you can flirt with a cutie while sipping on this, preferably your own cutie ;-))DSCN1956What You’ll Need:
– Champagne
– Vanilla Vodka
– Pineapple Juice (6-oz cans)
– Raspberries for Garnish
– Martini Shaker

Directions: First, mix one 6-oz can of the pineapple juice with a 2-shots of the vanilla vodka, over ice and shake well in your martini shaker.

Next pour your mixture to fill up half of your martini glass. Pop your champagne and pour champagne over top the mixture to fill the rest of the glass. Drop in some raspberries as garnish to enjoy! You can also freeze your raspberries to help keep your drink chilled.DSCN1959It’s pretty easy and delicious, and it has champagne. Win, win.

Enjoy!

 

Latest Obsession: For The Home

| The Bee Life

HERE’S WHAT, I have been absolutely obsessing over especially as the summer months are approaching and the store’s are switching out their inventory to be summery!!!

Lanterns. OBSESSED. I want them everywhere, but especially for outdoor spaces like our front porch. I love them as decor for your entry way and even lightening for your seating area. I also love lanterns for decoration inside, around a fireplace or hearth area, especially the really big lanterns. Not to mention you can find them in almost any finish from silver, to gold, wooden, ceramic, or bronze to fit into your current decor or switch to something new. You can get hanging lanterns or keep them on the ground or table. Plus you can use them season round by mixing up colors and styles with different fillers for the insides… I could go on for dayzzz!  On a lantern kick like me? Check out craft stores, as a lot of them have sever price cuts on summer and outdoor decor (like 60-70%!) you can’t beat it.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2011/11/15/rehearsal-dinner-inspiration-by-elyse-jennings-weddings/
http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2010/08/back-patio-reveal-and-5-giveaway-winners/
http://www.digsdigs.com/30-adorable-fireplace-candle-displays-for-any-interior/

Greenery. I am loving me some greens, the fake kind. I first saw some moss like letters at Michael’s and really wanted to impulsively buy them, but one didn’t know what to spell or letters to get, and two thought they would look way out of place in my house, but I can’t help but pine over them. I also really love boxwood wreaths, but refuse to spend the money online and will most likely DIY one, one of these days. And as much as I truly don’t like fake plants, because I’d rather just have a few real ones – I really like the fake greenery balls… yes I just described them as such, okay they’re technically “boxwood vase fillers” (according to Target). Anyways, I like the idea of having some greens around the house to add to the real greens, it brings some added life to your living space.

http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2011/05/one-project-at-time-link-party.html
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/boxwoodwreaths.html
http://www.target.com/p/boxwood-vase-filler-smith-hawken/-/A-16205611#prodSlot=_1_7

So those are my two latest obsessions right now, I’ve had my eyes on the lookout for these whenever I hit the stores.  I recently grabbed two silver lanterns for some added decoration up in our master suite, and I love how they compliment the space, we have a mixture of metals, but somehow it’s all working.

What’re your summer favorites?